Coke oven standpipe and elbow cleaning apparatus



Sept 3, 1968 s. oLsEN 3,400,052

COKE OVEN STANDPIPE AND ELBOW CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 27. 1964 INVENTOR SAl/ISON OLSEN ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,400,052 COKE OVEN STANDPIPE AND ELBOW CLEANING APPARATUS Samson Olsen, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Allied Chemical Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 392,552 1 Claim. (Cl. 202-241) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A coke oven standpipe and elbow cleaner having an extensible arm equipped with a cleaning head mounted in a hinged housing which is positioned by means of a hydraulic cylinder so as to either clean the vertical leg or elbow leg of the standpipe.

This invention relates to coke ovens and more particularly to an -apparatus suitable for use as a combination coke oven standpipe and standpipe elbow cleaner.

In the operation of coke ovens as usually practiced, the gases and vapors produced during operation are normally discharged through a coke oven standpipe and standpipe elbow to a collector main for treatment to recover valuable by-products. These exiting gases contain solids such as carbon, coal tar, etc., which, after a short period of time, tend to adhere to the inner surface of the standpipe and elbow, causing a gas passage restriction which seriously impairs the operating efficiency of the coke oven. As a result, the standpipe and elbow must be periodically cleaned to remove these solids. Under'conventional procedures, this cleaning operation is manually performed at a time when the coke oven is notin operation. However, the manual cleaning of the standpipe and elbow is time consuming `and dangerous to the operator and frequently, because of the unpleasant nature of the operation, e.g., the cleaning is usually performed under excessive heat conditions, there is incomplete cleaning and there remains in the standpipe and standpipe elbow, quantities of unremoved solids.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to facilitate removal of material from the coke oven standpipe and elbow and effect a clean removal of substantially all material from the standpipe. Another object is to provide an apparatus which is capable of selectively cleaning the standpipe and elbow with one spotting of the coal charging car. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a coke oven comprising a coking chamber, a gas exit standpipe communicating with the top of the coke oven Vand having an elbow portion at the upper end thereof, and means, including a housing and an axially movable rod communicating with said standpipe and elbow for selectively axially moving said lrod through said standpipe and elbow to effect a cleaning thereof.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is an elevated view of the apparatus of the invention.

In the drawing, one selected embodiment is shown for purpose of illustration of the standpipe and elbow cleaner land of the method in which it may be employed. lt is understood that various changes in detailed features and the arrangement of elements may be made without departing in essential respects from this invention.

In the drawing, -a top fragment of a coke oven 1 is shown in section, such oven having the usual outlet passage 2 therefrom for carrying off the by-product gases and other products through a standpipe 3, the lower por- 3,400,052 Patented Sept. 3, 1968 tion of said standpipe being connected to the oven in a manner well known in the art. The gases are conducted from the standpipe 3 through the elbow 4 into the collector main 5, which is shown supported at a horizontal position to one side of the standpipe. A standpipe cover 6 shown in the drawing in the open position, is mounted on the upper portion of the standpipe 3 and is hinged at one side to open directly to the atmosphere during charging of the coke oven.

Normally, the period in the coking cycle during which the cleaning of the standpipe and elbow is effected is vduring the period immediately preceding the charging of the coke oven. At this time, the coal charging car 7 is adjacent the standpipe 3, as shown in the drawing. The standpipe and elbow cleaner 8 is mounted on the coal charging car 7 on the side of the coal car adjacent the standpipe and is secured to the coal lcharging car by means of base member 9. The standpipe cleaner 8 is positioned in such a manner as to be capable of cleaning in one operation the elbow portion `4 of the standpipe and in another operation the vertical portion of the standpipe 3 as will hereinafter be described.

The standpipe cleaner 8 comprises a housing 11 having a tapered leg 12 extending from one end of the housing and an axially movable rod 13 which is adapted to enter the elbow portion 4 of the standpipe when the housing is in the inclined position, and the vertical portion of the standpipe when the housing is in the vertical position. The rod 13 is equipped with a cleaning head 14 having a circumference slightly less than that of the standpipe and elbow so that the cleaning head rides freely through the standpipe and elbow passage and is adapted to move axially within the standpipe and elbow passage in contact with the walls thereof to produce a plunger or wiping effect to cleanse the walls of the standpipe and elbow of 'any adhering gummy carbonaceous or other substances obstructing the same.

Normally, the cleaner is in the inclined position with the rod completely retracted. In order to axially align the rod with the standpipe, there is provided a hydraulic cylinder 15 having a piston 16 which engages tapered leg 12 at 17. The tapered leg is mounted on shaft 18 extending .across and rotatably engaging base member 9 which is mounted on coal charging car 7 by means of nuts, bolts or other securing devices. The housing is raised to the vertical position over the standpipe by hydraulic cylinder 1,5 which when activated causes the piston to extend and the leg and housing to pivot about shaft 18. The leg and housing traverses an arcuate path until the rod 13 is in axial alignment with the vertical portion of the standpipe. Activation of hydraulic cylinder 15 is effected by permitting fluid from tank 19 to pass through solenoid operated four-way valve 23 via pump 21 and pipe 22 entering hydraulic lcylinder 15 through pipe 24'. The hydraulic cylinder is deactivated by discharging the fluid Ithrough pipe 25 through valve 23 and thence to tank 19 through pipe 26.

The rod 13 extends from the housing for cleaning of the standpipe and elbow and retracts after completion of cleaning by means of .a driving assembly located within the housing 11. For this purpose, there is provided ya hydraulic cylinder 27 having a piston 28 which is connected -to one end of a chain belt 29, the other end of the chain belt being connected to the opposite end of the hydraulic cylinder 27. Upon activation of hydraulic cylinder 27, the piston extends causing belt 29 to rotate about shafts 31 and 32 which in turn rotates disc 33 mounted on shaft 32. Disposed immediately below rod 13 is another chain belt 34 which rotates about shafts 35 and 36 and is driven by belt 37 which contacts disc 33 and shaft 36. The rod 13 has an extension 38 and is attached to chain belt 34, so that when the chain belt moves counterclockwise, the rod extends from the housing. The hydraulic cylinder 27 is activated by permitting fluid to iiow from tank 19 through pump 21 driven by motor 20, thence through pipe 22 and into the solenoid operated four-way valve 39. At the proper time in the cycle, the uid then leaves solenoid operated four-way valve through exible piping 41 and enters hydraulic cylinder 27. Activation of the hydraulic cylinder causes the piston 28 to be driven forward and by means of the driving assembly causes the rod 13 to extend from the housing and into the elbow portion of the standpipe. The hydraulic cylinder 27 is deactivated by permitting the fluid to pass through tiexible pipe 42, thence through valve 39 entering tank 19 through pipe 26.

As can be seen from the drawing, the rod travels a shorter distance when cleaning the elbow portion of the standpipe. In order to control `this limited travel, the piston 28 engages finger 43 which prevents the piston from extending to its full capacity and through the driving assembly, prevents overtravel of rod 13 into the elbow portion 4 of the standpipe. When the housing is swung to the vertical position, the lug 44 which is fixedly secured to shaft 18 rotates counterclockwise and exerts a pulling effect on tensioner 45 which causes linger 43 to pivot out of contact with the piston permitting the piston to extend to its full capacity.

The operation can be made fully automatic by employment of conventional limit switches, relays and solenoid operated four-way valves strategically placed in the apparatus. Thus, for example, limit switches 46 'and 47 and activator 48 mounted on rod 13 can be employed to regulate the extent of travel of the rod into the standpipe and elbow. Limit switches 49 and 50 in cooperation with `an external circuit, not shown, regulate hydraulic cylinder 1S so that the cleaner housing is raised to the vertical position.

The cleaning cycle starts with the cleaner 8 in its inclined position and the rod retracted. In a typical operation, a push button is depressed and causes fluid to pass through four-way valve 39 and into hydraulic cylinder 27 through tiexible pipe 41. Activation of hydraulic cylinder 27 in combination with the driving assembly causes rod 13 to extend into the elbow portion of the standpipe. Limit switch 46 which is operated by actuator 48 in cooperation with limit switch 49 as set by the inclined position of the housing stops the rod 13 at the end of the elbow and automatically reverses the stroke. In the event that the limit switches fail to function properly, finger 43 will prevent overtravel of the rod into the elbow portion as previously explained. When the rod 13 is fully retracted, limit switch 50 in conjunction with switch 49 and an external circuit, not shown, energizes the four-way valve 23 which controls hydraulic cylinder 15 causing the piston 16 to extend thereby causing the housing to traverse an arcuate path until it is in axial `alignment with the vertical portion of the standpipe. As the housing is raised, the lug 44 is rotated and through the tensioner 4S causes the linger 43 to rotate into the clear so that the piston 28 can travel its full stroke. When the cleaner housing is rotated to the vertical position, limit switch 49 actuates four-way valve 39 permitting fluid to pass through four-way valve 39 into pipe 41 and thence into hydraulic cylinder 27. By the action of the driving assembly, the rod 13 is permitted to travel its full stroke into the standpipe. In the vertical position of the housing, actuator 48 operates and passes by limit switch 46 without stopping the rod stroke. At the end of the full stroke, actuator 48 operates limit switch 47 causing the hydraulic cylinder to reverse its stroke, and, through the driving assembly, to completely retract the rod. At the end of the retraction stroke, limit switch 50 is again operated which in conjunction with switch 49 and an external circuit, causes the hydraulic cylinder 15 to lower the housing to its inclined position. As the housing arrives in the inclined position, limit switch 49 through the external circuit shuts down the operation of the cleaner.

The 'advantages of my invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which such invention relates. The entire mechanism is relatively simple and such that it can be readily kept in order and while the arrangement of the parts as shown and described illustrates an operative embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the exact details of the combinations and arrangements of the parts as illustrated, since many changes in the detailed assemblage and co-operative connection of the said described and shown parts may be made, without departing from the scope and spirit of my invention as defined by the claim.

For example, instead of the hydraulic cylinders previously described for the operation, there may be used as activating members electric or air-motor drives to position the housing and to drive and retract the rod.

I claim: -f

1. A coke oven standpipe and elbow cleaner comprising a housing having a leg extending from one end of said housing, an axially movable rod within said housing, positioning means communicating with said housing to selectively axially align said rod with said standpipe and elbow, said means including a base member, a shaft extending across and mounted on said base member, the said leg pivoting its free end on the shaft, a hydraulic cylinder engaging said leg and adapted to cause said leg and housing to travel an arcuate path about the shaft to axially align said rod selectively with said standpipe and elbow; a driving assembly associated with said rod and 'adapted to drive and retract said rod axially through said standpipe and elbow including an activating member, a chain drive associated with said activating member yand said rod 'and locking means associated with said positioning means and driving assembly to limit the travel of said rod through said elbow and standpipe including a lug tixedly secured to said shaft, a pivotal finger communicating with said hydraulic cylinder and a tensioning device disposed between said lug and pivotal finger and adapted to cause said pivotal linger to be in an out of Contact relation with said hydraulic cylinder upon counterclockwise rotation of said lug.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/ 1902 Taussig 202-241 7/1965 Coleman, et al 202-241 FOREIGN PATENTS 22,638 10/ 1906 Great Britain. 

